The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Kenya’s healthcare system through a renewed partnership with the United States aimed at accelerating the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. The renewed collaboration underscores a shared vision of expanding access to quality healthcare while building a resilient and sustainable health system that serves all Kenyans.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale made the remarks while hosting a meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee under the Kenya–United States Health Cooperation Framework with a United States Government delegation led by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Susan Burns. The meeting reviewed progress in implementing the Government-to-Government health partnership and reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to advancing Kenya’s healthcare priorities.
CS Duale said the Kenya–United States Health Cooperation Framework represents a significant departure from the traditional donor-recipient model by embracing a Government-led partnership anchored on Kenya’s national priorities, mutual accountability and long-term sustainable investment. He noted that the framework empowers the country to take greater ownership of its health programmes while fostering stronger collaboration with development partners.
The Cabinet Secretary highlighted key milestones that have already been achieved, including the near completion of the Implementation Plan, the commencement of a comprehensive risk assessment and the approval of the Strategic Objective Agreement. He said these milestones have established a strong foundation for the successful implementation of the partnership and will guide future investments in Kenya’s health sector.
Duale emphasized the importance of maintaining the current momentum and completing the remaining activities within the agreed timelines to guarantee uninterrupted delivery of quality healthcare services. He noted that timely implementation would also ensure a smooth transition of critical health programmes while minimizing disruptions to essential healthcare services across the country.
The Health CS also commended the establishment of the County Transition Taskforce, describing it as a critical mechanism for strengthening devolved healthcare systems. He said the taskforce will develop an evidence-based roadmap to improve coordination between national and county governments while safeguarding continuity of essential health services for millions of Kenyans.
According to Duale, the partnership provides a valuable opportunity to accelerate health sector transformation through strategic investments in Universal Health Coverage under the Social Health Authority, Primary Health Care, digital health systems, health workforce development, disease surveillance, health security and sustainable medical supply chains. These investments are expected to improve service delivery, enhance emergency preparedness and expand access to quality healthcare nationwide.
The Cabinet Secretary thanked the United States Government for its continued support and called for the timely operationalization of the Program Management Unit to ensure smooth implementation of the cooperation framework. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretaries Dr. Ouma Oluga and Mary Muthoni, senior officials from the Ministry of Health, representatives from the National AIDS and STIs Control Program (NASCOP), the National Malaria Control Program, the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) and other stakeholders committed to advancing Kenya’s healthcare transformation.
